Which of the following Covenants / Treaties / Conventions provide for free legal Aid?

A. International Covenant on Civil and Political rights
B. Vienna Convention
C. International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights
D. Convention on Elimination of Discrimination against Women

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

A, C, D only

The correct answer is Option (1) → A, C, D only

United Nations Convention on Contracts for the Sale of International Goods (CISG), also referred to as the Vienna Convention on sale of goods (Option B) does not provide for free legal aid. Rather it is a multilateral treaty which provides options for avoiding choice of law issues by providing a framework of accepted substantive rules with respect to contract disputes. It is considered one of the most influential documents in private international law, and nowadays is deemed to be incorporated into any otherwise applicable domestic laws, unless expressly excluded.

Explanation:

• A. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR): Article 14 of the ICCPR provides for the right to free legal assistance for individuals who cannot afford it in criminal cases.

• Further, a number of international treaties like International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), Convention on Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and International Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination may be interpreted as implicitly referring to the need for free legal services while aiming at effective legal remedy and access to justice.